The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-28
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.

To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journal:
An answer to the above inquiry will solve one
OF the most perplexipg problems of the day.
The wises: and the best men of our own. as we'll
as Of other countries. are giving their best
thoughts to the consummation of this end. In
February last DR.. T. D. Corothers, of Hartford.
Conn, read lecture the ''Cause and Cure of
Inebrie.y" before the Institute of Social Science
of New York, in which he assumes that inebrlety
is disease and must be treated as such. We
refer to this lecture because the author is emil
nent authority any subject upon which he
expresses an opinion. and because he advocates
what we believe to be the only plan by which
this scourge can be successfully removed. Ten
years ago this question was controverted very
earnestly in this State. The writer took an act
i've part in advocating the plan which is more
fully comprehended in DR.. Corothers's pa
per. The plan referred to is, provide
homes in connection with hospital
where every man who is q habltual drunkard
and who s disturbing element in society,
abuses his family or fails by his dissipation to
give them support, shall be taken and made to
work at some employment for his support, and
that of his family; at the same time receive such
treatment and training as is indicated for the
cure of that burning thirst that deprlves him Of
his ability to govern his appetite.
These homes should be located says Dr.
Corothers, in the country, away from the noise
and excitement of town or city; be provided with
land to cultivate, shops for different mechanical
pursuits The homes should be controlled by
good and pure men and women, with authority
to enforce discipline and compel obedience.
library, a reading room with the best periodical
literature of the day should be provided; also, a
room for public worship for lectures and amuse-
ments and exercise. What each man earns
above paying the expense he is to the home
should be saved by the managers for his family
if needed for that purpose, if not, to be paid to
the patient when discharged. Inebriety being
among the worst diseases that af1ict
the human family, everyone who takes it
should be quarantined other diseased
persons are, whose presence endangers others.
No man who cannot control himself is a safe
CITIZEN and it is the duty of the State control
him-as they do the insane-and keep him from
numbering himself others The inebria:e
should be treated by the best medical men OF
the State-men who can, with the aid of the
patient study every cause that has produced an
impression on the normal relations of body and
mind. DR.. Corothers says by carefully studying
each case, as he has in over two hundred con-
| firmed inebrates, the disease can be found and
| systematically treated, in most cases cured and
| i'll all relieved. Heredlty, early surroundings,
| training, growth, accidents, disease strains,
drains, shocks. climate, losses, food and mode of
| dieting, social aud physical environment, to-
gether with all the various influences which have
| affected life's manifestations should be looked
| after. This treatment would produce the follow
| ing results. to-wit: Frst-Ths great army of
| idle and distress producing. law-breaking in
| ebriates, amounting to about / per cent. of our
| whole population, which is fifty millions, and
would present to us 800, 600, in most cases only
| consumers, would be set to work to help
support self and family. Second-The chief
| customers of the saloons would be
withdrawn. This would lessen the dram-selers
| profits and lessen the amount of intoxicants
4 consumed. Lessening the demand would lessen
| the supply. In time the saloon keeper would
| find his business Improbable. drive him
mt nf ho hnaI nd Sfnn "a ef
| Third-Removing tho inebriate from his fam
lily would tend to lessen hereditary entailment
of disease upon offspring. One mar cured would
| be equal to five prevented from the impelling
| appetite, and bring us each year nearer uti-
mate removal of drunkenness from among US.
Fourth-Every man or woman who has the
threatening appetite and has not yet drlfted
into the current OF irresistible dissipation, will,
should this plan be adopted, rally all the moral
| energies that can be brought to his or her aid
| to keep from becoming patient in the hospital,
aud hundreds would be saved in this way. DR..
Corothers has carefully examined the amount of
| stimulating drinks made and consumed, the
| number OF inebriates, the number of crimes
committed while under the influence of strong
drink, the number OF dependents it produces
annually. the amount of tax it imposes upon the
people. and he unhesitatLgly asserts that
these are all on the increase, from
which he is confident that the disease
ls being handed down: that the causes tina.
produce drunkenness are being more deeply
| FOOleU III the human SySLeI1, anu tHhC, ike the
| downward course of the stream, it is becoming
deeper and wider it flows onward. by the in
creased inlets at the head and along its course
If this re true, it is a question of sufficient mag
nituds to alarm the people and turn their
thoughts toward some means of checking this
sweeping tide of ruin. If all of the income from
the sale of liquor and its manufacture, and the
fines collected from mlsdemeanors, were applied
to this plan, the traffic would be made pay the
expense Of it's business. These homes could be
made ssf-sustaining. We have not space in this
correspondence TO present anything but the out
lines of an inquiry that will at some time in the
future be fully discussed and proper estimate
arrived at as to its practicabity and its utility
We hope to be permitted at some other time tt
give notes and statements of 1913 cases which W.
have been permitted to watch over. by the con
sent of the parties. j. w. HERyEY.
INDIANA OILS, March %.
A Brace of kickers.
70 the Editor of the indianapolis Jou rnar: